The Big Date
by jemb
Summary: Brennan has a date and it doesn't go according to plan


**_I have a million ideas in my as to how Booth and Brennan finally get together. This is just one of them. ONE SHOT_**

The Jeffersonian lab is closing up for the weekend. Brennan rushes around her office tidying up. Angela stands in the doorway with her arms folded across her chest and a grin on her face.

"I don't think I've ever seen you leave work this early." She says.

"I have a date." Brennan states.

"What" Angela is dumbfounded. "You have a date?" she asks for confirmation.

"Is there something so unusual about that?" Brennan straightens up and plants her hands on her hips.

"Unusual about what?" Booth appears behind Angela.

"Brennan has a date." Angela tells him. Booth tries to hide his shock.

"Wow." He chuckles awkwardly. "Who's the guy?" _Name, address and criminal history check please_.

"No one you know." Brennan walks around her desk and over to the table by the couch as both Angela and Booth step into her office.

"Got a name?" Angela asks.

"Damien." Brennan replies as she gathers some papers off the table and turns to go back to her desk.

"And what does Damien do?" Booth asks.

"None of your business." She smiles.

"Come on sweetie, it's our job to grill you about your dates. What does Damien do?"

"He's a journalist." Brennan sighs.

"How did you meet?" Angela probes further.

"At a press conference for my book." Brennan tells her. "Now can you two please leave me to tidy up? I have to be out of here in ten minutes."

"Sure thing sweetie." Angela backs towards the door. "We're heading out for drinks. Are you coming Booth?" she asks.

"I'll catch up." Booth lets Angela past.

"So where's this guy taking you?" Booth asks.

"I don't know." Brennan replies. "And what concern is it of yours anyway?"

"You've only met him once right?" Booth asks. "How can you be sure he isn't a psycho?"

"Because." Brennan states.

"Good argument Bones." Booth walks over to the desk. "Just make sure you have your cell phone okay."

"Booth, where is this coming from?" Brennan asks. _He's being so protective_.

"Can't one friend look out for another?" Booth asks. Brennan stares at him for a moment.

"Fine." She sighs. "Now go, because I have things to do." She points to the door and Booth makes his way there.

"See you next week Bones." He smiles as he heads out. "And enjoy the date." He says loud enough for anyone remaining in the lab to hear. Brennan rolls her eyes and continues tidying up. She only has a couple of hours until she's to meet Damien.

Brennan arrives at the restaurant and finds Damien is already there. He stands up as she approaches the table and greets her with a kiss on the cheek. He's a tall dark haired handsome man. _He reminds me of Booth a little_ Brennan thinks. She takes her seat opposite him and they begin with the usual first date pleasantries. Brennan tells him about her work and her writing. He tells her about his stories and his desire to write a book one day. By desert they have moved well past that stage and Brennan thinks she really likes this guy. He is sweet and sensitive, smart and funny too.

"So, how about we go?" Damien says. "I know this great little bar we can go to." Brennan answers before thinking it through.

"Sure." She likes this guy and he seems to like her. This doesn't happen very often.

Damien drives Brennan out of town to a small bar off the highway. There is a large neon sign out front flashing the name of the bar. She is a little concerned at how remote it is but the parking lot is full and the place is busy so she relaxes quickly. Damien orders drinks and a waitress seats them at a table near the bar.

"Can you excuse me for a minute?" Brennan gets up. "I need to freshen up." She heads for the ladies bathroom.

After checking her make-up and reapplying her perfume, Brennan smoothes down the skirt of her dress heads back out. As she approaches the table from the side her eyes widen when she sees Damien open a tiny bottle and pour something into her drink. She pauses where she is and watches as he stirs it in with the straw. _What the hell?_ She walks over and stands at the table.

"What did you put in my drink?" she demands.

"What are you talking about?" Damien plays innocent.

"I saw you pour something in it." Brennan states.

"I think you're mistaken." Damien laughs.

"I don't think so." Brennan grabs her jacket and heads for the door.

"Where are you going?" Damien jumps up and follows her. He catches up outside and grabs her arm.

"I'm calling a cab and I'm going home." She states. "I don't know what you're up to but I'm not staying here with you."

"Fine." Damien throws his arms up in the air. "Fine." He stalks towards his car, jumps in and roars off onto the highway. Brennan sighs with relief. Then she remembers the drinks. She hurries back inside and is grateful to see they are still on the table. She asks the waitress for an empty bottle. The waitress obliges and Brennan pours her drink into the bottle. After depositing the bottle in her bag she pulls out her cell and goes back outside to call a cab to get her home.

After ringing three companies Brennan gets the same answer. Busy night no cabs available. Brennan sighs and tries Angela.

"Hi this is Angela. I have a life so leave me a message."

"Angela, it's me. Are you in"? Brennan waits to see if she answers. "I really need you Angela. Please if you're there, pick up." She waits but there is no answer so she hangs up. Scrolling through her contacts list she rests on one number. _Can I call him?_ She wonders. _He'll just say I told you so._ She doesn't press the call button. But then she remembers she is stranded out in the middle of nowhere. _I have to _she tells herself. She presses call and the phone rings.

"Booth." He answers after three rings.

"Uh hey Booth." Brennan says.

"Bones? I thought you were on your big date." He sounds surprised to hear from her.

"I am. I was." Brennan corrects herself. "Are you busy?" she asks.

"If you call watching Big on TV again then yes." Booth replies. "What's up?"

"I'll tell you but you have to promise not to say I told you so or anything like that." Brennan says.

"Bones, are you okay?" Booth's voice becomes one of concern._ If he's hurt her…_

"I'm fine." She states. "I'm just, well I need a ride."

"Where are you?" Booth asks. Brennan proceeds to explain the bar and she hears Booth sigh.

"I'm sorry, I know I'm ruining your Friday night." She apologises. She doesn't realise that Booth's sigh is one of relief that she's alright.

"It's no trouble Bones. Just hang tight and I'll get there as soon as I can." He assures her.

'As soon as he can' turns out to be less than half an hour. He was speeding the whole way there. When he pulls his SUV into the parking lot he looks around for Brennan. At first he doesn't see her then he spots a figure near the door. Booth pulls the SUV into a parking spot and gets out. He walks towards the figure and she steps out into the neon light.

"Hey." She greets him.

"Hey, you okay?" he asks. His eyes travel over her making sure she isn't hurt in any way. Brennan nods.

"Thanks for coming."

"No trouble." Booth says. "Ready to go?"

"Absolutely." She walks over to his side and they head back to the SUV. Booth opens the passenger door for her then walks around to the drivers' side and gets in. Booth remains silent until the hit the highway again.

"So, any chance you're going to tell me what happened?" he asks. Brennan drags her eyes from the window to look at him.

"I was having a great time." She says. "Nice restaurant, good food, great wine." She sighs. "Damien seemed like a really nice guy. That is until I saw him pour something into my drink."

"What!" Booth exclaims.

"I think he was trying to spike me." Brennan explains. Brennan analyses the look on Booth's face. It isn't hard to read. _He wants to kill Damien_.

"We argued and he took off." Brennan finishes the story. "I tried calling a cab and Angela too but no luck."

"Well I' m glad you called me." Booth says.

"You are?" Brennan is surprised.

"Yes." Booth glances over at her. "We're friends Bones. You should be able to call me when you need help." He smiles. Brennan needs to change the subject. _This is getting too personal. _

"I brought the drink with me. I'm going to the police. Have it tested." She says. "I can't be the first." She sighs.

"But you can be the last." Booth tells her.

The rest of the journey home is spent in near silence. Brennan feels awkward for having to call Booth and he feels awkward having to pick her up after a disastrous date. Neither wants to get into a great discussion about the night's events. Booth finally pulls up at Brennan's house.

"Thanks for picking me up Booth." Brennan looks at the clock and sees it's getting late.

"Like I said Bones, any time you need me." _Any time at all._

"Well, I guess I should…" she makes a move to get out the car. "Uh, do you want to come in for a drink or something?" Brennan asks. "I kinda owe you." Booth smiles.

"Sure." He turns off the engine and accompanies Brennan to the door.

Inside her house she grabs a couple of beers from the fridge and takes them through to the lounge where Booth is admiring her book collection.

"You've got a lot of books Bones." He says as she passes him the beer.

"I read a lot." She replies.

"When?" he grins. His question hints at the amount of time she spends working.

"I don't spend my weekends watching TV." She smiles.

"Yeah, you spend them dating psychos." Booth comments. Brennan thumps him on the arm lightly. "Seriously though." Booth's face sobers. "You have to be careful out there." He tells her. "Not everyone is as nice as I am."

"I'm figuring that out." Brennan says.

"So you think I'm a nice guy?" Booth asks, nudging her.

"You frustrate me, you annoy me and you drive me crazy." She states, a smile tugging at her lips. "But you're a good guy." She admits. "But then compared to the guys I've dated anyone would seem nice."

"What do you mean?" Booth asks.

"Oh not much. Just, well there have been a few strange guys in the past." She sighs heavily. "It seems like I'm destined to be alone." Booth feels his heart tug in his chest. _You'll never be alone Bones_ he wants to tell her. Instead he drapes his arm casually around her shoulder and walks her over to the couch.

"There's someone out there for you Bones." He says as they sit down. "Someone who cares about you, who looks out for you but doesn't smother you because they know you need your independence." He locks eyes with her. "Someone who knows how smart you are and how funny." He searches her eyes for a reaction. "Someone who knows just how special you are." He moves his head closer to her, their faces just inches apart. "Someone who's life is only complete with you in it." He moves in for the kiss but as his lips are about to brush hers, her cell rings. Brennan scrunches up her eyes both hating the call and grateful for it.

"Please don't answer that." Booth whispers. Brennan pauses a second then picks up her cell.

"Hello." She pulls back from Booth and he leans back into the couch. Disappointment is all over his face.

"Sweetie, I got your message, what's the emergency? Angela asks frantically.

"Emergency over." Brennan replies. "I'm home now." She says.

"What happened?" Angela probes. "You sounded frantic on the phone."

"It's a long story Ang." Brennan says. "I'll tell you all about it tomorrow but I'm fine. Booth picked me up and everything is okay."

"Booth?" Angela asks.

"Like I said, long story." Brennan repeats.

"Is he there now?" Angela asks.

"Yes."

"Did I interrupt something?" Angela asks with anticipation. Brennan pauses before answering.

"Yes." Brennan replies. Her chest tightens as she accepts that something was about to happen with Booth.

"Well stop talking to me and go back to him." Angela says. "Call me tomorrow." She hangs up leaving Brennan alone on the phone. She folds the cell closed and places it down on the couch.

"Angela?" Booth asks. Brennan nods.

"I called her from the bar. I guess I sounded a little panicked. She was worried."

"She's a good friend." Booth says. He stays sitting back from her, wary of getting back to that point they were just at.

"So are you." Brennan replies. She looks down at her lap and lets her hand move across the couch to find his. Their fingers link together and Booth looks down at their hands.

"Bones, I have enough good friends." He says as he sits up. "I don't need another." He leans in to her. "When you told me you were going on a date." He whispers. "I was jealous. Really jealous." He admits.

"Booth." Brennan sighs as his hand moves up and cups her face, his thumb stroking her cheek.

"Shh." Booth whispers before he brushes her soft lips with his. Brennan's eyes remain closed for a few seconds after the kiss. She's afraid to open them and see Booth's face. But she drags them open and meets his eyes. They're looking for an answer. He needs to know she feels the same. She stares at him for what seems like an eternity then with her heart pounding she slips her hand behind his neck and pulls him to her. He captures her lips with his and wraps his arms around her, pulling her into him. Breaking the kiss Booth finds her eyes.

"I bet this isn't how you expected to end your date." He smiles. He plants lingering kisses on her cheek, down to her neck and to that sensitive spot between her neck and shoulder. When he kisses her there he hears her moan softly so he kisses her several more times in that same spot. It seems to drive her crazy and makes her desperate for more. She finds his lips, pressing down and kissing him hard, biting on his lip just enough to excite him. Booth has never seen her so passionate before and he wants her badly. He lays her back on the couch and kisses her for longer and deeper than she has ever been kissed before. _And this is only the beginning Bones_ Booth smiles through his kisses. He's finally got the woman he loves and he's going to show her just how much he loves her.


End file.
